Azure

Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform and infrastructure for building, deploying and managing applications and services through datacenters. It provides both platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) services and supports many different programming languages, tools and frameworks, including both Microsoft-specific and third-party software and systems. Cloud Services is a PaaS environment and can be used to create scalable applications and services; there are specific software development kits (SDKs) provided by Microsoft for Python, Java, Node.js and .NET. Azure also has file and storage services, data management, analytics and DNS services.

This question is regarding how to correctly manage Windows Updates in Windows 2016.

We use a management software to control which updates are allowed, and schedule a time to install and reboot. This software currently does not yet support Windows 2016. So I am trying to determine how to best handle Windows updates for 2016 without unexpected reboots.

When new updates are available...
1. Does it automatically download and install them and wait for Administrator authorization to reboot?
2. Does it save them, and install at the next server reboot?
3. Would the best approach be to simply conduct a scheduled reboot to complete installation and reboot of any available updates?

Also, I understand that all updates are cumulative. So how does Windows handle an update that has been downloaded and not installed yet, and then downloads a new more current update.

I have a Windows Azure server 2016 Datacentre. When trying to add roles and features I now get the error "The request to add or remove a feature failed 0x80073701". I ran an SFC /scannow and a disk check which did not help. I then Googled and found the below.

Then I thought ok well looking at the CBS log I should try installing a few language packs. It then gives me the following error "English (United Kingdom) LanguagePack - Windows Server 2016 for AMD64-based Systems - (KB3193497) [en-GB_LP]" I find this odd because the server has and Intel CPU yet it is downloading an AMD language pack. Any idea how to fix this?

I cannot afford to reinstall this server from scratch as it is onlyCBS.zip been in production since the beginning of December.

Applying updates to 2 Hyper V VMs (Server 2016) & have been staring at a screen saying 'Getting windows ready, don't turn off your computer' for about 20 minutes now.
Should I start to be concerned or remain patient?
Was burned too many time with updates on 2008 servers, especially SBS...

I download the windows server 2016 evaluation ISO (twice in case the first was flawed) and created a USB drive using rufus. The computer is a physical machine, HP ML30 Gen9 with a 2 tb drive (raid 0), 24 gb of ram and the process is a Xeon E3-1230V6. This exceeds the specs.

I get the following message at the end of the installation whether I use Intelligent provisioning or install directly from the USB.

"Windows cannot fine the Microsoft Software License terms. Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation. "

There is no error code. I've trying the installation 4 times, 2 with IP and 2 with using the USB drive directly.

As a test, I downloaded the eval on server 2012 R2 as well which I could burn to a DVD (didn't have dual layer for the 2016 install.) I created the disk and this installation failed the same way.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get past this so I can build this server? It is for a client and I'm starting with the eval and will purchase the license once it's in place and running.

Hi Expert,
I have a requirements to upgrade more than 500 SQL Server 2008 R2 along with STIG. I have plan to have a separate image for SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise, Standard & Express along with STIG.

Is there any way can do automation script for STIGing version for SQL Server 2014 or later.

Hi,
I am trying to understand Azure Hybrid Benefits for SQL and the payments better.
It is my understanding that if I pay for a VM image w/ SQL server built-in, it's automatically counted as eligible for Hybrid-Use-Benefits(HUB). So, I would essentially be able to get the 30%+ savings just by deploying the VM and checking, 'I Have a license'.

Another way to ask this; if I deploy a WIndows 2016 Server w/SQL 2016 VM, does it come with Software Assurance, therefore allowing me the Hybrid-Use-Benefits pricing?

My CSP is saying I can save a boatload on SQL server by using Hybrid-Use-Benefits but I don't already have a license. They state that the way I am thinking is strictly for on-prem and doesn't apply to Azure! Then why have even have H.U.B. as an option?

Or is there another way to get the discounted pricing?

Do I really have Software Assurance since I lease the VM? Now this renders me available to utilize Hybrid Use benefits because I have Software Assurance?

I have an azure app resource that is reached at mycompany.azurewebsites.net. I have a content bsaed website hosted on digital ocean and mycompany.ca. I want to redirect users to the mycompany.azurewebsites.net/login to login, but want it to show mycompany.ca/login (hiding the mycompany.azurewebsites.net).

Can i set this masking up in nginx config on mycompany.ca server? Or is this something i need to also do on the app resource on azure?

There's a small office which I'm trying to help set up their infrastructure. They've only got around 3 to 4 people. There's network ports/switches etc. They have 3 to 4 PC's in there. They want a simple way to share files/folders in a centralised location, like a fileserver.

What would be the best way to do that? Would it be to get something like Azure files? How about OneDrive for Business? Or perhaps just using a NAS connected to the network?

I keep getting Azure AD Connect error on one particular user account every time a sync is performed.

Identity synchronization Error Report:

Identity | Joe.Smith@contoso.com
Error Description | Unable to update this object in Azure Active Directory, because the attribute [MailNickname], is not valid. Update the value in your local directory services.

The problem is:

1) the account is actually disabled in AD on-prem
2) I cannot find the account in Azure AD or exchange online (using get-msoluser and get-user and get-recipient or portal.azure.com)
2) the account in our On-Prem AD, the MailNickname property is none when I look in the Attribute Editor.

I am using the below powershell script to get various server information from the local server and output to a CSV file but was wondering if it was possible to adapt to get the computer information for all servers (servers mostly running Windows server 2016) on an AD domain. Is this possible?

I have attached two NAS Volumes to a Windows 2016 Server via iSCSI, when the Server restarts the Disks goes to "offline" state (Disk3 and Disk4 in the file attached), I have to then right-click and choose "online" to have them show up in Windows Explorer again.

How does one set the Server or iSCSI Policy to bring the disks back online automatically? There's no other Server or device accessing the volumes so no risk of data corruption, we restricted the access via an ACL on the iSCSI settings.

What is the best AD Authentication solution for "Citrix Cloud and Azure Workload" implementation? What are the possible AD solutions for Citrix Cloud and Azure?
Scenario-1:
Workloads (HSD and VDI) are in On-Prem.
Citrix Cloud for Control Plane.
So, I can use my on-prem AD for my workload Servers/VDI domain joining.
Scenario-2:
Workloads (HSD and VDI) are in Azure.
Citrix Cloud for Control Plane.
Then my Workloads would need to be domain joined from Azure AD.
Azure workloads can't authenticate with on-prem AD. It's confirmed my MS. Even if we are using Express Route.

What is the best AD Authentication solution for "Citrix Cloud and Azure Workload" implementation?
Shall I use Standalone Domain Controllers on Azure and create a new forest and replace with on-prem AD?
Are there any other solutions for this Scenario?
What are the possible AD solutions for Citrix Cloud and Azure?
Please suggest.

had an issue where sql data warehouse in Azure stuck in "scaling" since around 9pm last night. It was unreachable/inaccessible all night and through this morning.
Microsoft says it got stuck because they had some regional fabric updates going on over night and somehow that hosed the DW and they had to do something on their end to restart/fix it.
has this happened to anyone else? What typically causes this? would a user have had to have initiated something fort hat to happen first?
The only other recommendation we got was to schedule maintenance time slot on the Azure Portal which will prevent maintenance affecting it during working hours.

Did you know that ransomware is the most widespread, destructive malware in the world today? It accounts for 39% of all security breaches, with ransomware gangsters projected to make $11.5B in profits from online extortion by 2019.

But when I run this against an Azure database, I get the error:If I remove the reference to the database "[DatabaseSQL_DEV]." from the SQL, it returns a list of tables, but these are not in the database I'm interested in.

Is there a syntax for pulling the Schema, Tablename, and Table_Type for a particular database which will work in both SQL (Windows Authentication) and Azure (SQL Authentication)? If not, what would the appropriate syntax be for an Azure database?

What is the best solution for Citrix Cloud, Azure HSD Workloads and O365 with One Drive integration?
Like for 200 Users, Citrix cloud and Azure AD, Express route, Azure Windows 2016 Server VMs as Citrix Work loads, O365 with One Drive as Profile storage.
On-Prem apps will publish.
Challenge is One drive integration. For On-Prem we have File Director, Cloud Drive solutions.
For Citrix Cloud and Azure, do we have any such solutions?
Please suggest.

Hello Everyone and thanks in advance for your insights.
We just deployed our first 2016 servers and I realized that patching/updates is going to be a challenge as we can obviously not create the same granular control (which patches and when) we had with previous server level o/s installs. WSUS is a nightmare and SCCM is too complex and overkill in our relatively small environment of less than 30 servers. Does anyone use anything other than SCCM/WSUS to query and update their servers. We have 2008R2, 2012R2 and now 2016 servers. Appreciate any and all input. Application solutions should be relatively easy to learn and manage, as well as not cost a zillion $ of course. LOL!
Cheers :-)

Azure

Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform and infrastructure for building, deploying and managing applications and services through datacenters. It provides both platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) services and supports many different programming languages, tools and frameworks, including both Microsoft-specific and third-party software and systems. Cloud Services is a PaaS environment and can be used to create scalable applications and services; there are specific software development kits (SDKs) provided by Microsoft for Python, Java, Node.js and .NET. Azure also has file and storage services, data management, analytics and DNS services.